SQ Transp 2048

Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer launched the book Rethinking the State Sector Act in Parliament yesterday. His speech is here, and is also on our publications page. Other speakers included Hon Maryan Street, Denise Roche MP, and Brenda Pilott, National Secretary of PSA/Te Pukenga Here Tikanga.

The book (which you can download in a variety of formats from our publications section) features contributions from a wide group of speakers to the series of lectures and seminars run by the Fabian Society in 2013 in partnership with the PSA/Te 'Pukenga Here Tikanga. There was general agreement from all the contributors that it was time to rethink the principles behind the Act which was passed in 1988.

Sir Geoffrey listed several reasons why in his opinion a serious rethink was needed, and why he had called for a Royal commission. They included:

  1. Future proof against short-term decision-making
  2. Managerial theory that states that managers can manage without knowledge
  3. Decline of tradition of free and frank advice
  4. Unattractive nature of job precludes best and brightest - reinstate senior executive service provisions
  5. Increased difficulties of policy design
  6. Silo effect precluding co-operation
  7. Failure to adequately protect the Crown's legal risk
  8. Serious structural issues that need to be addressed in a holistic manner
  9. Inadequate training
  10. A weak centre